Hydrangea plant named &#39;LC NO10&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘LC NO10’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit with strong lateral branches; early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in flower for a long period time; dense and hardy inflorescences with large white-colored sterile flowers that age attractively to purplish pink in color with development; and good garden performance.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Varieties of Hydrangea Plants

Inventor/Applicant: Alex Frederick Schoemaker

Provisional application Ser. No. 62/973,658

Filed: Oct. 17, 2019

Inventor/Applicant hereby claim the benefit of this provisional U.S. Patent Application.

Title: Hydrangea Plant Named ‘LC NO11’

Inventor/Applicant: Alex Frederick Schoemaker

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LC NO10’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Inventor/Assignee, Mr. Alex Frederick Schoemaker of Boskoop, The Netherlands on Oct. 19, 2018, application number 2018/2638. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, commercially referred to as a Hardy or Panicled Hydrangea and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LC NO10’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Hydrangea plants with uniform plant habit and attractive inflorescences.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2014 in Boskoop, The Netherlands, of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Silver Dollar’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since August, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LC NO10’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LC NO10’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit with strong lateral branches.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in         flower for a long period time.     -   4. Dense and hardy inflorescences with large white-colored         sterile flowers that age attractively to purplish pink in color         with development.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Silver Dollar’. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Silver Dollar’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of         ‘Silver Dollar’.     -   2. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea become more         intense purplish pink in color with development than sterile         flowers of plants of ‘Silver Dollar’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Vanille Fraise’. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Vanille Fraise’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1 Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more dense         than inflorescences of plants of ‘Vanille Fraise’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are distally         more rounded than and not as pointed as inflorescences of plants         of ‘Vanille Fraise’.     -   3. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea become more         intense purplish pink in color with development than sterile         flowers of plants of ‘Vanille Fraise’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangea paniculata ‘LC NO11’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘LC NO11’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are shorter and more outwardly         spreading than plants of ‘LC NO11’.     -   p 2. Plants of the new Hydrangea are not as vigorous as and grow         slower than plants of ‘LC NO11’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea have fewer         sterile and fertile flowers than inflorescences of plants of ‘LC         NO11’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can also be compared to plants of the Hydrangea paniculata ‘Diamant Rouge’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Diamant Rouge’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger and sturdier         lateral branches than plants of ‘Diamant Rouge’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Diamant Rouge’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LC NO10’ grown in a container.

The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of a typical leaf (top of sheet) and a typical inflorescence (bottom of sheet) of ‘LC NO10’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the late summer in 21-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 16° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 12° C. to 22° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were pinched one time and were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. As a Hardy or Panicled Hydrangea, plants of the new Hydrangea are typically not treated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘LC NO10’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata ‘Silver             Dollar’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille             Fraise’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 16° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer: About 120 days             at temperatures about 16° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent             on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             uniform plant habit; overall plant shape, flattened globular             to broad inverted triangular; strong and sturdy stems;             moderately vigorous growth habit and low to moderate growth             rate.         -   Plant height.—About 44.5 cm. Plant diameter or area of             spread: About 67.8 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—About twelve lateral branches develop per             plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.         -   Length.—About 28.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Texture.—When developing, sparsely pubescent; fully             developed, woody.         -   Aspect.—Upright to about 25° to 40° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.         -   Color.—When developing: Upper surface, tinged with close to             183C; lower surface, close to 148C to 148D. Developed: Close             to 200D; when woody, close to 199A to 199B.         -   Lenticels.—Density: Sparse; none observed on developing             stems. Size, developed stems: About 1 mm by 0.75 mm. Color,             developed stems: Close to 165C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of three, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to slightly apiculate.         -   Base.—Short acute to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate; slightly and coarsely undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent;             slightly rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147D. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Close to between 143A and             144A; venation, close to 152C. Fully developed leaves, lower             surface: Close to between 147D and 148C; venation, close to             195C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately pubescent;             matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 183A to             183B. Color, lower surface: Close to 176B and becoming             closer to 177B with development; proximally, close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Showy sterile flowers and smaller             inconspicuous fertile flowers arranged on terminal panicles;             panicles broadly conical in shape; sterile flowers face             upright to outwardly and slightly drooping depending on             their position in the inflorescence; fertile flowers face             mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—Faint to moderate, sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering begins in the midsummer             and is continuous until late summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about six weeks on             the plant, sterile flowers persistent; fertile flowers last             about five days on the plant, fertile flowers not             persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 250             sterile flowers and about 165 fertile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 16.8 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 14.7 cm.         -   Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Cup-shaped. Color: Close to between 145B and             145C.         -   Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 145C; towards the             apex, slightly tinged with close to 70D; immature calyx,             close to 145B.         -   Sterile flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm. Sterile flower depth             (height).—About 9 mm.         -   Fertile flower diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Fertile flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four or             occasionally five arranged in a single whorl. Length: About             3 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture             and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to             NN155D; color does not change with development. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155B; distally,             tinged with close to 59D; color does not change with             development.         -   Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width:             About 1.75 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to NN155D; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D;             distally, tinged with close to 59D; color does not change             with development.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically             four or occasionally five arranged in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Obovate,             slightly concave. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to between 150D and 155A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 155A; with subsequent             development, color becoming closer to between 61D and 62B.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155A; with             subsequent development, color becoming closer to 65D and             towards the margins and apex, close to 62C.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1.25 mm.             Shape: Broadly deltoid. Apex: Broadly acuminate. Base:             Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 192B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 192C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 150D; color does not change with             development.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 50°             from branch axis. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent;             matte. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter:             About 0.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 15°             from vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte.             Color: Close to 155A.         -   Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About eight. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament             color: Close to NN155D. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther             shape: Broadly oblong. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 157A. Pistils:             Pistil quantity per flower: Typically one. Pistil length:             About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to             157D. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to             155A. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About ten. Filament length: About 5.5 mm. Anther             length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther             color: Close to 197C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 157A. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower:             Typically three. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length:             About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close             to 150D.         -   Seeds.—To date, seed production has not been observed on             plants of the new Hydrangea. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, under commercial production     conditions, plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been observed     have good garden performance and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 5 through 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘LC NO10’ as illustrated and described. 